Hello

The mantra for Bike magazine; great bikes, amazing rides, extraordinary people. No shortage of these vital ingredients this month. Remember your first ride on a Honda Fireblade? Or a Suzuki GSX-R? Of course you do. It was (or will be) a formative experience that leaves a deep and lasting impression, like the first time you… well, insert your own examples here.

So obviously we’re hugely excited about the new ’Blade and GSX-R1000, especially after having to wait so long to see them. Good? Oh yes. James Haydon has tested the Honda, while JP has ridden the Suzuki. Now we can’t wait to see them in dealer showrooms, ride them on the road and watch them being raced at Donington Park and the Isle of Man. There are loads more bikes too. New Ducati Desert Sled, new Triumph Street Cup and Scrambler, Kawasaki Z650, BMW R1200GS and, of course, the Touratech Rambler concept bike (make them, please). Plus there’s a group test of Tracer 900, Multistrada 950 and Z1000SX, a long term test of the outgoing (and lovely) GSX-R750 and even MZ250s (hang on, do they qualify as great bikes?).

Amazing rides? Across America on a chopper is pretty amazing, but the great roads of north Wales are amazing too. Extraordinary people? Dougie Lampkin, Sam Sunderland and John McGuinness. They’re all pretty extraordinary.

Enjoy the issue,

Hugo WilsonEditor

Inside this issue...

SLICK SLED OOZES CRED

Some would have you believe retros are all style and no substance. Try telling that to Ducati. Jonathan Pearson hits the dirt on Ducati’s new Scrambler Desert Sled. Steve McQueen aspirants this way…

THREE WAY STREET

Last year’s Street Twin was a big hit for Triumph, so they’ve added a new café racer and scrambler to their 900cc ‘Street’ family.

THE BLADE’S GOT ITS FIRE BACK

More power, a crash diet and leading-edge electronics have reignited Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblade. Bike’s James Haydon wrings its neck.